You are using an out-of-date version of the Internet Explorer web browser. For a better experience on our website, please use a different web browser or update your Internet Explorer to version 8 or higher. Click here for more information.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

Signature City New Orleans: America's City of History, Culture and Celebration

Itinerary for Mar 24 — Mar 29, 2013

Description: The first sounds of jazz were heard in the dance halls on the very blocks surrounding the hotel. Magnificent jazz murals commemorating this historic neighborhood including a 150-foot clarinet mural...New Orleans newest landmark! The hotel, in the heart of downtown, is 6 blocks from the French Quarter. True Southern hospitality will make you feel right at home while still close to all the action. Multi-lingual staff.

Smoking policy: YesSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: $129 + tax/some dates higherPrice of rooms for additional nights dependent on time of year and availability. Price is not guaranteed and is subject to change by the hotel.
SEE PRE/POST HOTEL INFORMATION CONCERNING SPECIAL PRICING FOR CERTAIN DATES DURING 2013.

Afternoon: Arrivals. Registration and Orientation at 4:00 p.m. at the hotel. Start off your New Orleans experience with an informative overview of the week to come, and a chance to meet our staff and your fellow Participants.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Evening: Introductory lecture on the French Quarter. Your instructor is from New Orleans
and loves her city. Learn and be entertained at the same time.

Description: The first sounds of jazz were heard in the dance halls on the very blocks surrounding the hotel. Magnificent jazz murals commemorating this historic neighborhood including a 150-foot clarinet mural...New Orleans newest landmark! The hotel, in the heart of downtown, is 6 blocks from the French Quarter. True Southern hospitality will make you feel right at home while still close to all the action. Multi-lingual staff.

Smoking policy: YesSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: $129 + tax/some dates higherPrice of rooms for additional nights dependent on time of year and availability. Price is not guaranteed and is subject to change by the hotel.
SEE PRE/POST HOTEL INFORMATION CONCERNING SPECIAL PRICING FOR CERTAIN DATES DURING 2013.

Check in time: 3:00 PM

Day Two: Monday, March 25 - Morning history lecture, field trip into city and...

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet.

Morning: Lecture: History of New Orleans. Begin your day with a walk back into history, from the discovery of the city to present day New Orleans. Your instructor is a native New Orleanian and knows its past and present inside and out.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Interpretive field trip to Lake Pontchartrain, Bayou St. John, City Park and its magnificent oak trees, above-ground cemeteries. Also see with your instructor
the results of Hurricane Katrina.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.

Evening: Evening: Lecture: "Legacies of New Orleans"
Learn about many interesting personalities who were instrumental
in forming the early New Orleans.

Description: The first sounds of jazz were heard in the dance halls on the very blocks surrounding the hotel. Magnificent jazz murals commemorating this historic neighborhood including a 150-foot clarinet mural...New Orleans newest landmark! The hotel, in the heart of downtown, is 6 blocks from the French Quarter. True Southern hospitality will make you feel right at home while still close to all the action. Multi-lingual staff.

Smoking policy: YesSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: $129 + tax/some dates higherPrice of rooms for additional nights dependent on time of year and availability. Price is not guaranteed and is subject to change by the hotel.
SEE PRE/POST HOTEL INFORMATION CONCERNING SPECIAL PRICING FOR CERTAIN DATES DURING 2013.

Check in time: 3:00 PM

Day Three: Tuesday, March 26 - Literary lecture, Free time in French Quarter, Di...

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet.

Morning: Lecture: Authors from and of New Orleans. Hear about local writers past and present who sculpted the fictional and non fictional New Orleans with their pens and typewriters. Get the real scoop on their personal lives: where they gathered, what they ate, what they drank as well as their literary personas-which are often one in the same.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Lecture: New Orleans Music. Learn about New Orleans music, the roots of jazz, its evolution through vintage clips and soundtracks. Local professor and musician explains the many influences that honed music of the city and have spread its influence worldwide.
At your leisure enjoy the Mardi Gras Museum at the Presbytere to get a feel for our yearly celebration with its customs and costumes that attract international visitors. Also view the Katrina Hurricane Museum in the Presbytere (voucher provided for both). Voucher also provided for Louisiana History museum in the Cabildo. So many possibilities !

Dinner: Dinner is on your own tonight so that you might enjoy a restaurant of your own choosing. If you have a special restaurant in mind you might want to make advance reservations.

Evening: You may wish to return to hotel after dinner or stay in French Quarter to explore some of the jazz clubs (voucher provided for Preservation Hall) or just stroll Bourbon Street.

Description: The first sounds of jazz were heard in the dance halls on the very blocks surrounding the hotel. Magnificent jazz murals commemorating this historic neighborhood including a 150-foot clarinet mural...New Orleans newest landmark! The hotel, in the heart of downtown, is 6 blocks from the French Quarter. True Southern hospitality will make you feel right at home while still close to all the action. Multi-lingual staff.

Smoking policy: YesSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: $129 + tax/some dates higherPrice of rooms for additional nights dependent on time of year and availability. Price is not guaranteed and is subject to change by the hotel.
SEE PRE/POST HOTEL INFORMATION CONCERNING SPECIAL PRICING FOR CERTAIN DATES DURING 2013.

Morning: Lecture: Architecture of New Orleans. An introduction to what makes New Orleans diverse. Besides the ethnic diversity of our culture, you will learn how immigrants from the West Indies to Europe brought their architectural influences to the city.

Lunch: Picnic with local food near the Mississippi River and then attend a music presentation at the Jazz National Park Museum.

Afternoon: On-site Architecture excursion with instructor in the Garden District to get an up close and personal view of the architectural styles and embellishments discussed in morning lecture as you walk through this exclusive section of our city. See homes of famous people from New Orleans.

Description: The first sounds of jazz were heard in the dance halls on the very blocks surrounding the hotel. Magnificent jazz murals commemorating this historic neighborhood including a 150-foot clarinet mural...New Orleans newest landmark! The hotel, in the heart of downtown, is 6 blocks from the French Quarter. True Southern hospitality will make you feel right at home while still close to all the action. Multi-lingual staff.

Smoking policy: YesSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: $129 + tax/some dates higherPrice of rooms for additional nights dependent on time of year and availability. Price is not guaranteed and is subject to change by the hotel.
SEE PRE/POST HOTEL INFORMATION CONCERNING SPECIAL PRICING FOR CERTAIN DATES DURING 2013.

Check in time: 3:00 PM

Day Five: Thursday, March 28 - Sculpture Garden, Free Time in the City, Cajun an...

Sculpture Garden, Free Time in the City, Cajun and Creole Cooking Class

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet.

Morning: This morning view the spectacular Sculpture Garden in our beautiful City Park. Enjoy the New Orleans Museum of Art at your leisure or with a docent.
Have the unique experience of learning about the Mardi Gras Indians from an "Indian"(see his incredible costumes)--a cultural pehenomenon in New Orleans. You will hear about the connections to the Black Culture in New Orleans and to the famous early faubourg of New Orleans called Treme.

Lunch: Lunch at local eatery

Afternoon: Use vouchers for museums or visit on your own the DDay Museum, Museum of Southern Art Free Ferry or Natchez Steamboat or attend with our group another great musical lecture/performance at the National Jazz Park or enjoy free time to do more exploring on your own. So many possibilities!

Dinner: Learn the tricks and techniques of Cajun and Creole cooking at a popular culinary arts school. Recipes will be supplied so that you can bring some New Orleans cuisine "home" with you. Enjoy the great dinner you watch being created for you.

Day Six: Friday, March 29 - Lectures on Huey Long and Mardi Gras program ends

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet.

Morning: Lecture: "Mardi Gras," and "Huey P. Long." Hear about the real Mardi Gras from a native. All of the myths and misconceptions that you have read and heard about will be dispelled after this lecture. The second half of the class is dedicated to Louisiana politics, with a focus on colorful former governor, Huey P. Long - the "Kingfish." You will be amazed at the antics, politics, and incidents that were orchestrated by this powerful, charismatic figure who was revered by his constituents, despised by his political enemies and even his family.

Important information about your itinerary: Please know that while we do everything we can to finalize all aspects of our programs well in advance, there are logistics that occasionally must be altered. Our website will reflect the most recent information, and we are committed to providing you with final program details no later than eight weeks prior to the start of programs outside the U.S. and three weeks prior to the start of programs within the U.S. If you ever have questions about your program, please don't hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

Need Help?

The latest in light, portable, easy-to-use QUIETVOX listening devices are available on Road Scholar programs.* Whether you are outdoors, in a crowd or in a museum environment where speaking loudly is discouraged, a listening device makes it feel like our experts are speaking clearly and directly to you. Hear for yourself on a Road Scholar adventure!

*Please note that due to the nature of some programs, the remote location or government regulations, listening devices may not be available. If you’d like to know for sure if your program will offer listening devices, just call and ask an Advisor!